If Only for a Moment
by Preussenlied
Summary: Natsu and Juvia bond over their unrequited love for other people.


**If you do not like this ship, please, do not read it. Do not comment about your dislike for the ship. Thank you. I know Gruvia is canon, and I know NaLu is strongly hinted. I ship both of them, but I wrote this because I am beginning to branch out a little.**

 **Thanks! Let me know what you think!**

* * *

"Juvia?" The water mage stiffened and quickly wiped at her face. Too late. Feet settled next to her and she recognized the sandals. Slowly she looked up from where she sat on the ground and saw Natsu standing over her. She offered a small smile.

"Natsu, how are you?" His brows were furrowed as his eyes searched her face.

"What's wrong?" Natsu asked, ignoring her question. Her eyes were red and there was a stray tear on her cheek - she'd been crying. His hand clenched into a fist. "Who made you cry?"

"Oh! Nobody… Juvia made herself cry," Juvia said, looking down at her hands. Natsu cocked his head to the side, brows furrowed.

"Why would you wanna do that? Crying's no fun."

"Juvia was just caught in her thoughts. It's okay. It doesn't matter now," the water mage said, sending another small smile up at him.

"Whaddya mean it doesn't matter? Of course it does. What were you thinking about?" With a sigh, Juvia told him, but Natsu only had to hear Gray's name once to know what it was about.

"Well," Natsu said with a bright smile, plopping himself down right next to Juvia, "guess I'm just gonna have to cheer you up!

* * *

Not all of Natsu's plans work out - he'll admit that. However, he's never gone in with the task of cheering someone up and come out failing

This was the first time.

Juvia speaking about her unrequited love for Gray made Natsu think too much about his own for a certain blonde celestial mage, and his mood fell rather quickly. Now, for the past few hours, the two sat next to each other, staring out at the nearby river as they bonded over their common heartbreak.

"At least Gray doesn't kick you each time you try to make an innocent advance on him," Natsu muttered, chin in his palm as his elbow rest on his knee.

"Well… Lucy doesn't hate Natsu. Gray -" Juvia suddenly found herself on her back. With wide eyes she found herself staring up at Natsu, caging her to the ground with a hand on either side of her head on the grass.

"Don't finish that sentence," Natsu said through grit teeth. Juvia blinked, still in shock. "Gray doesn't hate you. He would _never_ hate you. He's a bit of a prick and he won't swallow his pride, but he doesn't hate you." What he said was true, but he also _never_ wanted to hear her say that someone hated her. How could they?

"Juvia, you're strong. Your magic is awesome and you are one of the best fighters I know. You're so nice and always so happy and cheerful. Nobody could hate you." Pink dusted her cheeks at the dragon slayer's words and she found herself nodding softly.

"Thank you," she whispered, and they remained there, Natsu hovering over her as they stared into each other's eyes. They could see the pain they held reflected in one another, both suffering in the same way.

Delicate hands came to rest on his jaw, a thumb brushing over his cheek and Natsu found himself leaning in closer. He could hear her breathing pick up, hitching as he briefly glanced down at her lips. She did the same and tugged him closer, lifting her head off the ground to meet him halfway.

They remained still against each other for a moment before Natsu pressed forward, tilting his head for a better angle and brushing his tongue along the seam of her lips. She opened for him and the kiss quickly became deep and desperate, one of her arms wrapping around the back of his neck. Natsu lowered himself to his elbows and she let out a shaky breath as his weight settled lightly over her body.

The two mages parted and Natsu dragged his lips down to her neck, breathing in her scent.

"Juvia…" he breathed. Juvia placed a hand at the back of his head, fingers threading through his hair and pressing him closer as her other hand ran down his back. Her name on his lips wasn't to ask for permission, nor was it of affection. He was telling her he needed her distraction from the pain in his heart, and it was up to her if this happened. He needed her.

He needed _this_.

And she did, too.

"Please…" At that, a sharp canine dragged over her neck and she gasped, arching up against the man above her. Her hand curled into a fist, tugging at his hair and everything became hazy, a flurry of movements and caresses until -

Natsu pressed into her and everything cleared up. She wasn't sure if that was good or bad, but when he pulled out and thrust back in, Juvia wrapped her legs around his waist and pressed her heels against his lower back.

Fingers tugged at her strapless top and her breasts spilled free. He covered one with his hand and the other with his mouth, both demanding and rough against her as he moved harder against her, taking what he needed and giving her just the same.

Juvia's back arched, head pressing back against the grass still damp from that morning's rain. Sharp teeth bit down on her nipple and she cried out but pressed his head closer to her. Her fingers slipped beneath his shirt and raked her nails down his back and he sighed against her skin at the sharp sensation, then moved his mouth up to her neck.

She breathed his name against his neck; whimpered into his ear to give her _more_. The dragon slayer complied, no longer wanting to hold back as his hips snapped against her own.

It was rough. It was desperate. It was relief from the bottled up pain, yearning, and unrequited love they'd been harboring for so long.

Juvia was pressed firmly to the ground, but she felt like she was falling through an endless void, feeling everything and nothing at the same time. She felt… _him_. She felt Natsu giving her what she needed.

He was freeing her, if only for a moment.

The void was ending, and she embraced the inevitable crash. She wrapped around him, holding him tight and whimpering his name at her release. He let out a guttural groan of her name into her neck and removed himself from her just before he became still and rigid above her.

When Juvia forced her eyes open, she was staring up into a cloudy blue sky with pink in the corner of her eye. The pink moved and she was then looking up into onyx eyes that weren't quite meeting her own, a blush beneath them.

"Juvia…" Natsu wasn't sure what he was going to say. I'm sorry? Thank you? But he didn't need to say anything, as Juvia was shaking her head, a hand coming to rest on his jaw to bring his attention to her.

She didn't say anything, either. She spoke with her eyes, and he read them. They both understood what this was. Their feelings hadn't changed.

Natsu nodded, then slowly moved off of her, the two sitting up and readjusting their clothing. He stood and held his hand out to her. She accepted it with a smile and he helped her up.

"So…" Natsu began awkwardly, rubbing at the back of his neck as he stared out at the river. Juvia bit her lip, then looked up at him with a soft smile.

"Juvia thinks Lucy is just worried about losing the close friendship with you, Natsu. You were the one who brought her to Fairy Tail and you have been by her side ever since. Try harder, but don't push her." Natsu looked down at her in slight surprise, then smiled and draped an arm around her shoulders.

"Gray likes to act like he's tough and in control of his emotions, but he's not. At least, not all the time. He's lost a lot of people close to him and you two are pretty close already. He's worried about taking the next step, but he wants to. Give him time, and he'll eventually come around." Juvia smiled and leaned into his side as they both returned their attention to the river.

Their friendship wouldn't change after what happened. After all, they gave each other the freedom they needed, if only for a moment.


End file.
